LANCASHIRE cricketer Karl Brown was one of the star attractions at the Bolton Cricket League junior presentation evening at Bradshaw CC.

The 27-year-old Atherton batsman has enjoyed a memorable 2015 for the Red Rose across all forms, but most notably as an opener in the LV= County Championship.

Brown scored 766 runs from 12 matches with seven 50s and only the second four-day hundred of his career.

He also scored three 50s on the way to helping Lancashire win their first NatWest T20 Blast title in August.

It was form that earned him a county cap at the club’s Player of the Year awards dinner but he took time out from his busy schedule to pass on hints and tips to the area's brightest prospects.

More than 130 people attended the event and officials insist it was a great way to bring down the curtain on another season.

Junior league chairman Mike Buckley said: "I contacted Lancashire CC to see if anyone would be able to come down to present the awards.

"It was great when I was told that it would be Karl as he is from the area and has had a great season.

"He has had a great season and part of a Lancs side that achieved promotion.

"He used to play at Atherton and he was brilliant handing out the trophies.

"Normally we have the chairman or secretary presenting the awards but the kids were delighted to see him.

"It shows them what you can achieve when you work hard by playing for Lancashire."

The highlights of the night were Westhoughton picking up the league awards at u18s and u15s level while Horwich took honours in the u15s cup.

Heaton scooped the top award at u13s with their league and cup double while Bradshaw brought home the u11s league title while Greenmount won the cup competition.

Individually, the main prize of most promising young cricketer at U16s level was Matt Morris while Lancashire women's star Nalisha Patel was the interleague player of year.

It is going to be an exciting time for the Bolton Cricket League as they will be expanding and junior teams too will be joining their ranks.

Buckley said: "We are currently thinking of how the league will be split in half because of the teams coming from the Bolton Association.

"It will either be geographically or the teams performances.

"It is good and there will be enough people in the community with the experience of running cricket teams and leagues and we will all be looking to develop players and enjoy cricket.

"The Bolton area has a phenomenal reputation of producing cricketers to go on and play for Lancashire and by having better teams you are making the competition better.

"It will provide a good platform for them to improve and develop."

Winners:

Team awards: U18s Sykes Cup: Westhoughton, J.D Bond Cup: Farnworth SC, U15s Baldwin Cup: Westhoughton, Ainsworth Trophy (runners-up): Greenmount, Mervyn Porter Trophy: Horwich, U13s Clitheroe Memorial Cup: Heaton, Lansdale Trophy (runners-up): Horwich, Harrison Cup: Heaton, U11s: Bradshaw (league) and Greenmount (cup).

Individual prize winners: Batting – Tom Heaton (Greenmount U18s), Matthew Donnelly (Greenmount U15s), Michael Gibson (Horwich U13s). Bowling – Sam Greenhalgh (Greenmount U18s), Jordan Higham (Westhoughton U15s), William Jackson (Egerton U13s). Catching – Kishan Patel (Heaton U18s), Tom Heaton (Greenmount U15s), Haaris Akhtar (Astley Bridge U13s). Wicket-keeping: Connor Thomson (U18s), Matthew Donnelly (U15s), Josh Little (U13s). Best bowling in a match: Joe Ducker 3-5 v Westhoughton.

U16s most promising young cricketer – Matt Morris, Interleague Player of the Year: Nalisha Patel.